The present invention relates generally to electronic business transactions, and more particularly, the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for providing automatic electronic purchasing and delivery of products and services.
Electronic business (e-business) transactions are often conducted by consumers over a network such as the Internet. These e-business activities include buying goods and services, among other functions. Oftentimes a purchase or transaction is recurrent as in the case where a consumer orders flowers to celebrate an occasion such as a birthday, anniversary, or other annual event. Another example might be an avid book collector who anticipates the release of each new novel by a favorite author by reserving a copy of the book online before its actual release date. In a business context, a recurrent transaction might include scheduling a network conference for individuals in which the scheduling individual or organization pays for the network time and utilities from a third party source.
In order to effectuate these e-business transactions, the consumer must take active and repetitive steps to complete the purchase for each purchasing instance. For example, to purchase flowers, a consumer needs to access a florist web site, peruse a catalog of selections, identify the purchase, and enter personal information including credit card data and address information. The next time the customer desires to make a purchase at this website, at least a portion of this information must be re-entered by the customer. There are times when recurrent purchasing activities may be inferred based upon previous purchasing activities and scheduling events or organizing information located within the customer's electronic calendar or personal information manager (PIM).
What is needed, therefore, is a way to automate frequently occurring purchases over a network via an electronic system.